DENTAL HEALTH
It is usually the bad breath that you first notice when your pet greets
you with a kiss. Inflamed gums, tartar build-up, or swelling usually goes
unnoticed until your pet has difficulty eating. Just like humans, our pets
need their teeth cared for too.
Dental disease occurs when a film of protein from saliva and food
particles form on your pet's teeth. As the film thickens, bacteria begin to
form a plaque build-up on the teeth. Gingivitis, or inflamed gums, is
the result of the plaque build-up. Gingivitis can lead to periodontitis, an
inflammation of the deeper tissues surrounding the teeth, and may be
associated with the spread of infection within the body.
Professional Cleaning
Time is of the essence during any elective anesthetic procedure, so
our dentals consist of several systematic steps from beginning to end. If
your pet requires a dental cleaning the first step is a complete blood
panel to ensure the patient is healthy enough to undergo anesthesia.
Each dental patient stays at our hospital for one full day.
we know we help each one feel better and enjoy improved health.*
Brushing your pet's teeth...
Brushing your pet's teeth can help prevent dental disease. At first,
some pets resist brushing but most will begin to enjoy the reward of the
flavored pet toothpaste and your attention. It is best to brush your pet's
teeth at least 3 times a week to be effective.
Step 1: Choose a flavored pet toothpaste that your pet will enjoy.
Place a small amount of the pet toothpaste on your finger and begin
to rub along the front teeth. Repeat this daily for about a week to
familiarize your pet with the pet toothpaste and the brushing motion.
Human toothpaste may be toxic and cause stomach upset if
ingested. Flavored pet toothpaste is specifically created for your pet's
teeth. The liver or poultry flavor becomes a reward.
Step 2: You may introduce your pet to a pet toothbrush. Starting
with the back teeth, make small circular motions along the teeth and
gums, working toward the front of the mouth. Focus on the outside of
the tooth where food particles accumulate between the teeth and
cheeks. Praising your pet throughout the process will help reinforce the
new routine.
Additional ways to prevent dental disease...
You are helping your pet's overall health when your take care
of their teeth and gums.
For more information on pet dental health please visit:
http://www.petdental.com/pd2/index.jsp
http://www.vohc.org/
Disclaimer: Vista Animal Hospital makes sincere efforts to ensure the
accuracy of information posted on this website. VAH cannot and will
not be held responsible or liable for errors, inaccuracies or improper
use of information by the reader. Readers who rely on the information
contained on this web site or on other web sites accessed from this one
do so at their own risk and are advised to consult with their veterinarian
before acting on it.
*For More Information Please Contact Your Vet!*
It is usually the bad breath that you first notice when your pet greets
you with a kiss. Inflamed gums, tartar build-up, or swelling usually goes
unnoticed until your pet has difficulty eating. Just like humans, our pets
need their teeth cared for too.
Dental disease occurs when a film of protein from saliva and food
particles form on your pet's teeth. As the film thickens, bacteria begin to
form a plaque build-up on the teeth. Gingivitis, or inflamed gums, is
the result of the plaque build-up. Gingivitis can lead to periodontitis, an
inflammation of the deeper tissues surrounding the teeth, and may be
associated with the spread of infection within the body.
Professional Cleaning
Time is of the essence during any elective anesthetic procedure, so
our dentals consist of several systematic steps from beginning to end. If
your pet requires a dental cleaning the first step is a complete blood
panel to ensure the patient is healthy enough to undergo anesthesia.
Each dental patient stays at our hospital for one full day.
- The day of the procedure the pet is given a pre-anesthetic
evaluation. The teeth, gums, and overall body condition are
evaluated. From there we move to anesthetic induction, and a
more thorough investigation of the mouth as the dog or cat's
plane of anesthesia deepens. - Next, the dental technician will manually scrape off any large
amounts of tartar on each tooth to begin the cleaning.
Following the manual tartar removal one of our doctors
performs any extractions needed, and sutures any pockets left
behind. - When the mouth is free of loose and/or infected teeth, we begin
the dental prophy with our ultrasonic scaler. The scaler has a
high speed vibrating tip to clean even microscopic bits of tartar
from tooth surfaces. Cold water simultaneously cools the tooth
and flushes debris as it comes loose into the mouth. - If possible, the roots of many teeth are "planed" at this point.
Planing consists of employing a special tool, called a "curette",
to smooth root surfaces in a downward motion. This smoothing
may help prevent plaque and tartar from adhering to roots in
the future. - After scaling and planing, each tooth must be polished on all
sides to smooth any microscopic grooves left by the scaler,
and remove any further traces of tartar. We use an electric
polisher and a granular paste (bubblegum flavored!) for
excellent polishing results. - We rinse the tooth polish and flush the entire mouth with a mild
chlorhexidine (anti-bacterial) solution, and dry the patient with a
towel. Each pet has an injection of an antibiotic, and then are
gently brought out of anesthesia. - Your pet will spend 2-3 hours recovering with observation, then
you may take them home for some TLC, and possibly a special
soft meal for a treat the next day!
we know we help each one feel better and enjoy improved health.*
Brushing your pet's teeth...
Brushing your pet's teeth can help prevent dental disease. At first,
some pets resist brushing but most will begin to enjoy the reward of the
flavored pet toothpaste and your attention. It is best to brush your pet's
teeth at least 3 times a week to be effective.
Step 1: Choose a flavored pet toothpaste that your pet will enjoy.
Place a small amount of the pet toothpaste on your finger and begin
to rub along the front teeth. Repeat this daily for about a week to
familiarize your pet with the pet toothpaste and the brushing motion.
Human toothpaste may be toxic and cause stomach upset if
ingested. Flavored pet toothpaste is specifically created for your pet's
teeth. The liver or poultry flavor becomes a reward.
Step 2: You may introduce your pet to a pet toothbrush. Starting
with the back teeth, make small circular motions along the teeth and
gums, working toward the front of the mouth. Focus on the outside of
the tooth where food particles accumulate between the teeth and
cheeks. Praising your pet throughout the process will help reinforce the
new routine.
Additional ways to prevent dental disease...
- Several pet food companies have specially formulated their
foods to help prevent dental disease. It is the mild abrasive
action that reduces the film of protein that builds up on the
teeth. Some foods are treated with enzymes to help reduce
bacteria. - Toys, treats, rawhide chews are also available for dental health.
- Be aware that canned dog/cat food or processed treats can
increase the chance of your animal developing dental
disease. This is due to the residue it deposits on the teeth.
You are helping your pet's overall health when your take care
of their teeth and gums.
For more information on pet dental health please visit:
http://www.petdental.com/pd2/index.jsp
http://www.vohc.org/
Disclaimer: Vista Animal Hospital makes sincere efforts to ensure the
accuracy of information posted on this website. VAH cannot and will
not be held responsible or liable for errors, inaccuracies or improper
use of information by the reader. Readers who rely on the information
contained on this web site or on other web sites accessed from this one
do so at their own risk and are advised to consult with their veterinarian
before acting on it.
*For More Information Please Contact Your Vet!*
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